A Prince's decisions
by SailorCheesy
Summary: Arthur is Prince Alfred's personal guard, and should NOT be falling in love. Neither should Ivan, but he requests to court Alfred anyway. As Alfred's feelings for the two become more confused, he is kidnapped by Oliver. Can Alfred decipher his feelings and manage to escape from Oliver? Does he want to? (Formerly called A Kidnapper, Two Princes, A Guard, and a Demon.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia!**

**Main pairings: USUK, 2p!UKxUS, RusAme...**

**Side pairings: Native!AmericaXCanada, Nyo!PruIta, GiriPan, maybe some others...**

* * *

Arthur was hired to be Alfred Jones, the Prince of Murica and the man that would someday take over the throne, 's guard when he was nineteen, and the young Prince was fourteen years old. Arthur was not impressed with the so-called royalty. He seemed more like someone the king and queen had picked up off the streets. The boy seemed to have no respect for the rules, and was about as deep as a kiddie pool. And Arthur was almost positive he was riding the short bus, if you catch my drift. Plus, he ate like a pig! He was always hungry and had an incredible capacity for shoving sweets down his throat.

Still, he bore a striking resemblance to his father, so Arthur guessed that he really was related to the prestigious King Matthew.

Arthur's first assignment as Alfred's bodyguard was to make sure that Alfred was not hit on, or tricked into marriage when he went out to play. Much to Arthur's surprise, everyone who worked around Alfred said it had happened many times before—and it shocked him even more when they said they weren't surprised. Apparently, Alfred was very desirable, both for his appearance (which even Arthur couldn't deny—the lad seemed to have a sort of glow about him, one that nobody around him could compete with, not even his parents) and for his status as royalty.

Alfred was warm and friendly with Arthur immediately, and asked if they could go into town after only having a brief introduction to who Arthur was. It surprised the Birt, but it was his duty to follow Alfred's wishes and make sure he was protected, no matter how much of annoyance the boy could be.

By Alfred's fifteenth birthday, though, you would think of Arthur was an entirely different person. He adored Alfred—Maybe... Maybe he was even falling in love with the lad. But... But he was not allowed. No, he was NOT falling in love with Alfred's sweet, soft skin, big baby blue eyes, honey golden hair and energetic personality! He would not even think such thoughts. He was _not_ going soft. He was a guard, and he was simply doing his job. Plus, Alfred was only fifteen and this year Arthur had turned twenty. And if these feelings weren't even accepted by the man who felt them, how could the person that they were directed at feel the same?

When Alfred turned sixteen, he took Arthur to his favorite place in the world. The top of a very tall waterfall. And then, he jumped. Arthur was sure the lad was going to die, but it said nowhere in the job description about risking his life for the boy! But Arthur had dived after Alfred anyway, an overwhelming need to protect the lad taking over. This was not about the job anymore... Even if he denied it, he had strong feelings for the boy. During the plummet towards the icy water, he came to terms with that, and almost told Alfred in what he thought would be his last moments. Then, the boy was grabbing him and pulling him closer, and they were falling head-first into the water. And it didn't even hurt that bad. Arthur was sure they were dead until Alfred had pulled him up and they both gulped in air, Alfred laughing loudly. During this time, Arthur tells himself that whatever feelings he had come to terms with were just delusions, created in what he thought were going to be his last moments to try and make sense of why he had just jumped off a waterfall after the prince, even thinking he would loose his own life in the process.

On Alfred's seventeenth birthday, he became very sick, and so there was no celebration. Even so, the lad had smiled through it, not telling anyone when he was in pain, or even when he was about to be sick. He handled it by himself, much to the protests of Arthur, Queen Aiyana and King Matthew, Alfred's two best friends, Kiku and Heracles, and the two maids Alfred was the closest with, very beautiful young women by the names of Feliciana Vargas and Julchen Beilshmidt. He finally admitted that he needed help after collapsing on the wooden floor in front of Arthur's bedroom. Good thing the Brit was inside, otherwise Alfred might have been stuck there all night.

On Alfred's eighteenth birthday, he got his first official courtship request from a man called Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, the king of a faraway land called Spain. Arthur did not like this Antonio, even if he would never admit it. Something just seemed off about him, like they had met earlier and something had gone wrong between the two of them. Even so, he couldn't just _forbid _Antonio fro courting his dear Alfred—that would be selfish. And, he was a guard. Guard's did not develop feelings for the people they were supposed to protect. That made them weak, and then the person they were supposed to be guarding could manipulate them. Arthur would never tell anyone that Alfred could manipulate him easily, make him do what he wanted by batting those big blue eyes without even realizing it.

Much to Arthur's pleasure, Alfred had called off the courtship later on, telling Antonio that he just wasn't in love. Antonio wasn't angry because over time, a strong friendship had connected the two. He thanked Alfred for the wonderful experience and teachings of his culture, then was off across the ocean, back to the place that Arthur couldn't remember the name of. Later on, he sent Alfred a letter saying he had met a very nice man named Francis, and that they were soon to be wed.

Now, on Alfred's nineteenth birthday, (Arthur was now twenty-four) he had received his second official courtship request from a man called King Ivan, who was from the land of Russia.

And that's where this story starts.


	2. Chapter 2

_Alfred was moving forward, wrapping his arms around Arthur's neck. He shook his head, and the golden crown that was placed there fell away, clattering to the marble floor of Alfred's bedroom and then rolling out of sight. The young Prince moves closer, his hot breath gracing Arthur's face._

_"See, Artie? Now you can't say that I'm a prince and you're a guard... Without the crown, I'm a commoner. Our love isn't wrong anymore, is it?"_

_"N-No, but—"_

_Alfred ignores Arthur's weak protests, instead opting to lean in closer, his eyes closing. Arthur takes a deep breath, closing his eyelids, and then—_

His emerald green eyes snap open, and he shoots upward in the bed.

"HOLY QUEEN ELIZABETH." He yells, blinking a few times to clear his thoughts.

Arthur looks around and lets out a yelp of surprise. Somehow, he ended up sleeping in the same bed with the Prince... Again. Alfred stirs, lifting his head and cracking open one beautiful sky blue eye. He smiles lightly at Arthur, who is standing up and brushing himself off.

The blonde Brit bows, then says "Good morning Master Alfred."

"You don't gotta be so formal, Artie."

Arthur furrows his many brows. "You are my superior and I must treat you that way."

Alfred lets out a small moan and falls back against his plush bed, his eyes fluttering and closing. Arthur resists the urge to reach out and brush away the stray blonde hairs that cover his face.

"Young master, you have to get up. It's your birthday, remember?"

"Uggghhhh! I don't wannaaaa! Artie, don't make me!"

"Master Alfred, we are here with the clothes for your coronation!" Says a sweet, slightly high-pitched from outside, accompanied by loud banging on the mahogany door and "Let us in, Alfred! The awesome me will not wait forever!"

Arthur sighs, but Alfred smiles.

"C'mon in, ladies." He mumbles, pulling the covers over his head and closing his eyes.

Arthur looks at the two young girls as they enter. One wears a red skirt that comes down to her knees, layered over a white tank top. She smiles brightly, flipping her long brown braids and smiling at the bundle of blankets that is the Prince Alfred. Her hazel eyes glitter and she pokes him lightly, giggling, the one curl that sticks out from her head bobbing slightly.

The other maid is a girl with long white hair that flows down her back in a straight sheet and dazzling red eyes. She reaches out and adjusts her short black pencil skirt, then her long, white, lace-up high-heeled boots. Then unbuttons her navy blue coat, revealing her ruffled blouse. She rolls her blood red red-cuffed sleeves up, a giant grin creeping up onto her face as she looks at the other girl.

"Happy birthday, Master Alfred!" Says the brown-haired girl, called Feliciana.

"Haaaaaaapy Birthdaaaaaay!" Yells the second girl, named Julchen.

Alfred sighs, pulling the covers closer to him. Feliciana giggles even more.

"Alfie, don't be so down! You're going to be coronated as king! And your new suitor will be here today!" Feliciana says, "You are to be wed, you know!"

Arthur blinks. "Pardon? Suitor? W-Wed?!" He exclaims, an icy feeling starting in his heart and spreading throughout his body. His emerald green eyes widen in horror and disbelief.

"Oh, yes," says Feliciana, "the king of Russia. Very wealthy and very handsome, I heard."

Arthur says nothing, but both Julchen and Feliciana see his face fall. They both knew what he was thinking;_ How could I compete with the wealthy king of a distant land... And someone people think is handsome, at that..._ Arthur takes an a stern face, mentally scolding himself, _I shouldn't care who courts Alfred! I shouldn't care that I can't compete with the king of Russia!_

Alfred sighs, "He better be, dammit. I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life with some dumba—"

"You know you cannot use language like that," Arthur says, covering Alfred's mouth his hand, "git."

Alfred grins.

"Now get your ass out of bed before I pick you up and shove you into your clothes!" Yells Julchen.

Alfred grins and jumps out of bed, grinning. "Yes ma'am!"

Julchen smiles back, and Feliciana lets out another giggle. A light blush comes to her tan cheeks when Julchen looks at her. The Prussian's grin softens into a smile. A pink tint dusts her pale cheeks, watching as the beautiful Italian moves forward with Alfred's outfit.

"Hey, hey, don't be so eager to undress me!" Alfred says, sending a wink toward Arthur, who turns red and glares.

The young prince moves into the bathroom, pulling on his clothes, then walking out.

Arthur's breath catches in his throat.

Alfred's blue eyes are narrowed, and he has the cutest pout on his face. His crown, made of sapphire jewels, is sitting atop his head, the gold on it sparkling in the morning light that floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows. A sky blue cape is draped over his shoulders, partially covering up a golden shirt. His pants are white, and come to his knees. It's simple, but has a dazzling affect.

"Do I really have to wear this?" Alfred asks, staring at Feliciana and Julchen with his 'are you serious?' face.

"Yes, you do." A woman's voice says.

Queen Aiyana walks in and takes both of Alfred's hands in hers, smiling. "Look at how handsome you look... Just like Matthew."

Alfred looks down at himself, "Yeah, that's what I don't like."

"King Ivan will arrive soon. You can meet him at the ball tonight." Aiyana says, smiling as Alfred brushes some of her dark hair out of her face. "You two would look very nice together. He is very strong, just like you." She winks, "That makes for a lot of fun on your honeymoon, if you know what I mean."

"MOM!"

Arthur frowns.


	3. Chapter 3

The lights were sparkling, all of the couples were standing and staring at the giant doors, their eyes wide and lips curled upward in anticipation. This would be the day all the citizens of America would see their wonderful prince accept a marriage proposal, they just knew it. King Ivan had already arrived, and had told them all about himself, and he was a perfect choice for the prince.

King Ivan's father and mother both died from the same sickness within two years of each other, leaving him to rule the kingdom starting at the young age of fifteen, along with his older and younger sisters, Natalia and Katyusha. Both very beautiful, from what he said. Katyusha looked more like their father, while Natalia was more like their mother. He was a mix of both.

Ivan was a scholar, and knew many languages, including his native languages of Russian, English, Ukrainian, Belorussian , and some Lithuanian.

He loved getting to visit new places, especially warm ones like America, because his homeland was cold. His favorite flower was a sunflower and his favorite drink is the strongest vodka available, imported straight from Russia.

"I have enjoyed talking to you all." He says, smiling an innocent smile, his violet eyes sparkling. "But I believe the Prince should be coming through these door any moment, da?" He looks toward the door, excitement mounting in his chest.

Everyone follows his gaze, their eyes wide in excitement.

The doors open, and Alfred walks through, his signature grin upon his face. As soon as his eyes meet Ivan's, he pulls an arrow out of nowhere, pure white wings sprouting from his back. His blue eyes glitter from behind his glasses as he lets the arrow fly. It soars through the crowd and straight through King Ivan's heart, leaving the older man gaping, pink dusting his cheeks as he stares. Well, at least that was what King Ivan saw. In reality, Prince Alfred was walking toward him, his face slightly pink, an expressionless guard right behind him.

When Alfred reaches him, Ivan blinks, then takes Alfred's hand and kisses it.

Alfred turns entirely red and looks back at Arthur, who is struggling to conceal the anger and disappointment bubbling up inside of him.

"H-Hi." Alfred stutters nervously. Ivan really _was _handsome...

"Privyet." Ivan says back, standing up.

King Matthew stands up. "Let the first dance begin!"

Then, Queen Aiyana stands up and takes his hand, smiling. Her long, straight hair was now falling down her back in curly waves, a few of the smaller curls framing her thin, tan face. Her chocolate brown eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree as she was led to the dance floor by her husband.

King Matthew was almost identical to Alfred—there were only a few differences between the two. Matthew had violet eyes instead of blue like Alfred's. Instead of one hair that always stuck straight up, he had a curl that always stuck out the side of his slightly lighter blonde hair. He had rounded glasses, while Alfred had boxy ones, and he was much less obnoxious than his son. In fact, he was even shy, when he was not with his queen or people.

The King and Queen spun in circles, Matthew sort-of awkwardly, Aiyana freely and beautifully. Most of the other women wore ball gowns, but Aiyana wore a sleek, white, and angelic-looking dress that billowed out when Matthew spun her. As they got more into it, Matthew moved closer, until they were moving in perfect harmony, both not bothering to care what their subjects would think of their free dancing. They spun and danced and moved about the room, both laughing and smiling and pecking each other's cheeks with a love that was hard to compare to.

In fact, there was only five other people who were so surely in love like Matthew and Aiyana were.

And they all happened to know Alfred in some way.

Julchen was wearing exactly what she had been wearing earlier, the only difference being that the skirt was longer, and the jacket was now a cape. Also, she had changed to white, high-heeled strappy shoes. Her hair was put into an elegant updo, some of her white strands of hair falling from it and giving her a slightly-elegant, slighty-wild look. She was absolutely breathtaking to Feliciana.

Feliciana had undone her braid, instead letting her hair fall loose in curly waves, like Aiyana. Her white blouse and red skirt had been changed in favor of a pink, fairy-like dress. It was sleeveless and tight, held together by visible white strings in the back of her dress. Small cloth roses trailed along the dress and random places, and were also stuck in her hair. She was absolutely beautiful to Julchen.

And so, the Prussian woman moves closer, blushing, and says, "Feliciana... Would you like to dance with the awesome me?"

The Italian's hazel eyes widen in excitement, and she smiles brightly, throwing herself forward into Julchen's arms, her pink skirt brushing Julchen's ankles. She giggles, "I thought you would never ask!"

Julchen smiles, setting the shorter girl onto her feet. They start to dance. And then, Julchen takes Feliciana's chin and lifts it upward.

"Have you ever been kissed?" She asks.

Feliciana shakes her head 'no' and reaches out, brushing a stray strand of white hair from the Prussian's face.

"Can I have the honor of being your first kiss?"

Feliciana lunges forward, grabbing Julchen's face and capturing the stunned girl's lips. Locked in a passionate embrace, neither notice the sighs of joy over the beauty of love from the crowd.

Not far away, Alfred's friend Kiku was blushing and stuttering nervously, staring up into Alfred's other friend, Heracles', green eyes.

_How beautiful... _He thinks, his worries dissolving more and more the longer he stares into the taller's eyes.

"Kiku... Would you like to dance?" Asks Heracles, taking the Appaneze man's hands in his.

"That... That would be lovely," Kiku blushes.

Heracles smiles, looking Kiku up and down. He was wearing a white suit, one that made him appear to be a little more lanky and skinny than he was. His dark eyes were unreadable, but his blush and slight squirming gave away how truly nervous he was. Heracles smiles, taking both of Kiku's hands and kissing his forehead.

"H-Heracles...!" the Appaneze man exclaims, turning completely crimson. He can't help but letting his eyes wander to the Geek's appearance...

He was wearing a navy blue dress jacket, which was open and revealing a gray button-up dress shirt. Underneath was navy blue slacks and a pair of white dress shoes.

Together, the two spin in slow circles, Heracles with his head rested on Kiku's, Kiku with his head resting on Heracles's shoulder.

And in the center of the room, there was Alfred and Ivan. Alfred was, of course, stumbling and almost tripping, having almost no idea how to dance, despite the tireless effort he had put into it when his instructor, Feliciana's brother, Feliciano, had encouraged him. Lucky for him, Ivan thought it was endearing and cute, as did the rest of the guests... Especially when Alfred would accidentally step on Ivan's foot and blush, then mumble an apology. Then, he would blush even more when the people on the dance floor went "awwww!"

Arthur, meanwhile, is staring at the two, rage quickly building up inside of him. Every time Alfred stepped on Ivan's foot, he would blush, and it was just so cute! It made Arthur's heart do little flip-flops in his chest, and he desperately wanted to stomp on them all.

He was a guard. He was supposed to protect Alfred. Nothing more. He certainly wasn't supposed to develop feelings for the boy!

Then, the dance was over, and Alfred stepped away from Ivan, immediately running to him instead.

"How did I do?" Alfred asks.

"Well... You stepped on his feet... _A lot._"

"Yeah... Do you think I made him mad?"

Arthur was tempted to lie, he really was. To tell Alfred that Ivan most definitely looked mad, that he wouldn't want to see Alfred anymore... But the look on Alfred's face was so hopeful, so bright and cute and full of eagerness at wanting to please his parents.

"No, you didn't. I don't think so, at least... He seems like the type to hide his emotions very well."

"Oh." Alfred looks down, "Um, would you like to dance—"

"Excuse me," Says a red-haired man from behind Alfred, "may I have this dance?"

Alfred jumps and turns around, blocking the man's face from Arthur's view.

Something didn't seem... Right about him.

"Um..." Alfred sends Arthur an apologetic look over his shoulder, "of course."

Quickly, Arthur follows them, somehow knowing that this strange man had more on his mind than dancing with Alfred.

* * *

**Hah... **


	4. Chapter 4

Alfred's hand was clutched tighter, and before he knew what was happening, he was being wrenched out onto the balcony and away from the rest of the crowd. He shivers a little bit, and the man takes his cloak off, putting it over Alfred's shoulders. The Prince shudders, pulling it tighter around him and looking up at the moon shining down at him.

"H-Hey, why did you take me away from the rest of the party?" Alfred asks, pulling the black cloak even tighter around him, an irritated expression on his handsome face.

"So I could do this." Says the man, grabbing Alfred in his arms. "You're coming home with me, my love..." He whispers in Alfred's ear, making the younger tremble slightly.

"Get off of me!" Alfred yells, shoving the man away, his face entirely red.

Apparently, he shoved a little too hard, for the man slams backward into the railing of he balcony and almost flips over it. Instead of getting angry, the man grins, brushing the red hair from his face. Alfred narrows his eyes, scrutinizing the other man. That grin... It reminded him of Arthur somehow. Even though he'd never met this man before, there was a sense of security in seeing Arthur's face.

"I'm Oliver, by the way." The redhead says.

Alfred starts to move back to the doors, muttering that he would be sure to check and make sure he wasn't invited next year, but only takes about one step when Oliver says something in a language Alfred doesn't recognize. Immediately, the younger is frozen in his place, only his mouth and eyes able to move. Oliver wraps his arms around Alfred and the prince tries desperately to struggle, to break the invisible binds that keep him prisoner in his place, with no success.

And he's left with two options—drag Arthur into this and risk him getting hurt, which would be so un-hero like, or face this on his own and be take to who-knows-where and who-knows-what done to him. Though he didn't like it, the answer was clear to him.

"ARTHUR!" He screams, willing himself to move.

The music doesn't stop. Alfred can see the shadows of his people inside, dancing and laughing, unaware of their soon-to-be king's inner turmoil.

"ARTH—" He starts to scream, but without warning his lips snap shut, and then freeze. His eyes, still wide, are unable to move also, and he stares straight ahead, his face stuck in a state of permanent horror. _NO! _His mind yells, _Arthur, help!_

"No need to scream, love... _Arthur Kirkland_ can't defeat my magic. I'm superior to him, you see... He isn't worthy of your affections... I can protect you so much better than he could ever even dream of... And in time, you will realize just how much better than him I am... " Oliver purrs in Alfred's ear.

_NO!_

Grinning, Oliver pulls Alfred into him, wrapping his slender arms around the blonde's waist. He dips the blonde backward and then slowly leans forward, placing a tender kiss on Alfred's neck. He trails the kisses upward until he's reached the corner of Alfred's mouth. He places a kiss there, then leans forward, closing his eyes.

Alfred is terrified. Frozen in place, all alone with this man, about to loose his first kiss... _ARTHUR! HELP ME!_

Then, the door bursts open, and Arthur is there, his eyes glinting with tears of worry. As soon as his green eyes land on Alfred and Oliver, he lets out a cry of anger. Alfred's face was horror-filled, but he wasn't moving, for some reason. Or blinking... With a gasp, Arthur realizes what Oliver had done and lunges forward, shoving Oliver away just before his and Alfred's lips met. He reaches out to grab Alfred, but can feel himself slowing down.

Oliver was trying to do the same thing he did to Alfred.

Arthur growls, shaking the spell off with amazing strength, feeling the strain of resisting the urge to freeze in place. He throws himself at Alfred, trying desperately to protect his Prince, his love, his life, his sunshine, his _everything. _Every fiber in Arthur's being wanted to attack Oliver for touching Alfred, but he knew he had to get Alfred out of harm's way before he would be allowed to punish Oliver.

But before he can reach Alfred, Oliver grabs the young man, shoving him behind his back protectively.

"Ah-ah-ah~!" Oliver says sweetly, then mutters something under his breath.

Suddenly, Arthur is slammed backwards by an invisible hand. He flies through the doors glass doors and glass rips the back of his uniform. He can feel the blood dripping and pooling, but he ignores it, trying to grip anything and stop himself from slamming into the ground with no success. As he hits the ground, he cries out, feeling the sharp glass push deeper into his pale skin and make even more blood drip down his uniform. The back of his head hits the marble, and stars fly across his vision, making him gasp in pain.

A dagger seems to pierce Alfred's heart, and he shoves Oliver away.

"ARTHUR!" He screams, running forward. Before he can even get into the ballroom, he is locked in place again. Only this time, instead of being forcibly locked, he felt like there was something in his mind, something that was urging him to stay locked, something that made him want to stay with Oliver...

The music stops. Several people scream, then look through the door Arthur came through, only to scream even louder when they see their prince and his captor.

Several people run forward in effort to protect Alfred, but are all blown off their feet and backwards into the wall by Oliver.

Arthur grits his teeth and pushes himself to his feet, then unsheathes his sword.

"_Nos domum!_" Oliver yells.

Meanwhile, Alfred feels the last of the urge to be frozen slip away. He smiles, turning around t face Oliver. His mind was so fuzzy... All he could think about was Oliver... How handsome he was, how nice... How good he looked right then, and how wonderful it would feel to be held in his arms...

"ALFRED! What are you doing?" Arthur shouts, watching Alfred as he makes his way to Oliver, whose arms are open wide for the younger.

Green rings of light swirl around Alfred and Oliver until they're barely visible. A sudden strong wind whips around, sending tables and chairs flying. Everyone ducks, plastering themselves to the floor and walls to avoid the flying punchbowls. All over, guards are rushing forward, pulling people to their feet and shielding them with their bodies, hurriedly escorting them out. Aiyana herself has pressed herself over a child and her mother, her face stricken and tears streaming down her cheeks.

Heracles is doing the same for Kiku, pressing the shorter into a wall, his back to the doors. Julchen shoves Feliciana into the ground, throwing herself on top of the Italian girl.

Arthur pushes himself to his feet and sprints, jumping at the spot where Alfred and Oliver are. His fingers catch on Alfred's crown, and he catches a glimpse of Alfred's face—a goofy, slightly confused look on his face. His eyes move to the grin on Oliver's, and he knows what's happening.

Oliver tightens his arms around Alfred, placing a kiss on the Prince's cheek. Alfred blushes and smiles up at Oliver.

Then, in a flash of light, the two are gone.

Arthur drops to his knees, clutching Alfred's golden crown in his hands.

* * *

Arthur kneels before the queen and king, his head bowed low, his eyes screwed shut to keep from crying. Alfred had been kidnapped the day before, and it was now morning.

"My queen, my king..." He mumbles. His voice cracks, and he stops speaking.

"Arthur, do not feel like this is your fault," says Matthew, his calm voice now a note higher,"that man obviously had power we were not even aware existed. You did everything you could, and you did well."

Arthur nods mutely. _That doesn't change the fact that Alfred is gone._

"Arthur, look at me." Says Aiyana in a calm tone.

The Brit brings his head up, and his eyes meet hers. Immediately, his green eyes fill with tears, and he mentally curses himself for showing this weakness.

"My queen, I am so sorry." He says, wiping the tears away with his gloved hand, "I-I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I am in myself... I will not rest until Master Alfred is found. I am so sorry I have failed you this way..."

Aiayana stands up and moves forward, kneeling in front of him

"Don't be." She says, her brown eyes filling with tears, too, "I know you did everything you could have possibly done. You even have the scars to show for it. Trying to protect Alfred even when you were so injured yourself was the most noble thing you could have done, and I am grateful that you would go to such lengths to protect him."

"Of course, my queen. There... There is nothing I would rather do. I would serve as Master Alfred's personal guard for the rest of my days with pleasure." Arthur admits, his feelings for the boy momentarily overwhelming him.

He buries his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with sobs. Aiyana wraps her arms around Arthur, letting tears spill down her cheeks, too. Then, Matthew is rushing down there, kneeling and throwing his arms around the both of them, his arms shaking with his own sobs. Feliciana walks in. Seeing the scene, she breaks down crying, dropping to the floor, the tea she had prepared splattering all over the marble ground. Julchen is right behind her, wrapping her arms around Feliciana, tears pouring from her red eyes.

Arthur wipes his tears away.

"...I know who Oliver is." Says Arthur.

Everyone freezes. Aiyana nods her head slowly, as if to say '_go on..._'

"There was a reason I left my homeland... There was once a witch by the name of Virtue in my hometown. One day, she came to my house asking for sugar. As soon as I laid eyes on her, I fell madly in love... She was so sweet, and so beautiful... We spent a long, long time together as friends before I told her how much I loved her... She told me she felt the same way, and I began to court her... Soon, we were to be wed. It was all going perfectly, I couldn't be happier. Then, she told me she wanted to practice her spells on me... I was uneasy, but I was in love, and I trusted her not to hurt me.

"She was practicing a spell on me, when I felt an agonizing pain. Somehow, Virtue had managed to split me completely in half, making another version of myself, except that it was my complete opposite in all ways. Except one—we have the same emotions. Because I was in love with Virtue, so was my opposite, Oliver. He fell for her just as bad as I, and she could find no escape from his affections. He took her away from me, by force, on our wedding day. Later, I received a message from her, and in it, she desperately told me to flee, to go somewhere where Oliver could not find me.

"Also, she told me to try my hardest not to fall in love, for that would be my ultimate downfall..."

By now, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Aiyana's eyes were wide and filled with tears of shock and sadness. Feliciana was sniffling over how heartbreakingly romantic and tragic it was. Julchen was nodding along with Feliciana, her insides twisting at the tragedy. Only one person truly seemed to realize what Arthur had just admitted to.

"So... If Oliver kidnapped Alfred because he was in love... Does that mean that you... Love my son?"

Aiyana blinks.

Feliciana stops crying.

Julchen jerks her head up to stare at Arthur.

Ivan, who had just walked in, drops the plate he was holding.

Arthur turns bright red. "I-I... Er... W-Well... S-Sort of... I mean... Master A-Alfred is very... Er... I...!"

Aiyana smiles lightly, "Oliver can do magic, right? So maybe you can do a little bit?"

"Yes, that is correct." Arthur replies, still looking at the floor.

"Do you know of any spell that could help up to locate Alfred?"

* * *

After four unsuccessful attempts at a spell, Arthur finally gets it right.

A small screen-like thing appears, then enlarges. On it is a picture of Alfred, sitting at a long, wooden table with an (adorable) pout on his face, his arms crossed across his chest, and glaring at Oliver, who appears to be cooking something.

Oliver glances back at him, "If you frown like that, your face will get stuck that way. Or it will cause early wrinkling." He smiles.

Alfred continues to frown, then inches his fingers towards a knife. He picks it up, jumps out of his chair, and throws it. The knife flies past Oliver's head, cutting off a few strands of his red hair, and embedding itself in a wall.

Aiyana's jaw drops. Arthur smiles. Alfred could be so amazing sometimes...

"YOU CAN'T KEEP ME HERE!" Alfred yells, his voice echoing around the large dining room.

"Yes I can." Oliver says mater-of-factly, turning around.

Alfred kicks the table angrily, then slams himself back down into a chair. "No you can't. Someone'll come looking for me!"

Oliver moves closer, "Are you sure, my Prince?"

"Y-Yes." Alfred says, shoving Oliver away from him angrily.

"I wouldn't be so confident..." Oliver says, advancing on Alfred again.

"Hey! Get away from me!" Alfred says, jumping out of his chair and stumbling backwards.

"What if nobody comes? Your parents haven't even told the rest of the villagers what happened yet... They haven't sent out anyone looking for you, either." Oliver says, reaching out. He snatches up one of Alfred's hands and places a kiss on it.

"H-Hey, d-don't do that!" Alfred says, pulling his hand away.

Oliver quickly reaches out, grabbing both of Alfred's wrists and pressing them into the wall. Alfred turns entirely red, desperately trying to wrench his wrists free. Oliver moves forward, pressing his chest to Alfred's. Alfred turns away, lifting his foot to kick Oliver, when the Brit steps on both of his feet, pressing them into the floor.

"Lemme go!" Alfred yells, turning his head away from Oliver's.

"Mmmm... You are so..." Oliver pauses, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by a very unfamiliar sensation.

Instead of just desire for Alfred, he was feeling like he wanted to step away from Alfred, to apologize. It was... Strange. Even with Virtue, he hadn't felt this way... He had never felt so definitely in love with someone in his entire life. And this feeling made him want to kiss Alfred so much...

For some reason, he couldn't do it. He just... Couldn't bring himself to kiss Alfred. Something was telling him that this would be Alfred's first kiss. And though he wouldn't have given it a second thought with anyone else, it seemed to help him refrain from advancing on Alfred.

"I don't know what you are, my Prince. But you are most definitely special. Arthur's feelings have never been this strong before, not even for Virtue." Oliver muses, stepping away from Alfred.

"...Arthur's feelings?"


	5. Chapter 5

Oliver turns around, a smile stretching across his face at the innocent look on Alfred's. God, he wanted Alfred so bad...

"Oh, yes," says Oliver, "I guess Arthur never told you... He was engaged to be married before he came here, you know. Fell in love with a witch. One day, he was foolish enough to let her practice her magic on him. The result? He was split into two people. The other half was Arthur's exact opposite in every way but one—Me."

"...What way are you the same?"

"We have the same feelings, my dear. Whatever he feels, I feel... Because he was in love with the witch, Virtue, so was I. And now, because he loves you... I can't help myself... He loves you so dearly, and I cannot help but feel the same... It's overwhelming, love. I don't think you have realized the effect you have on him..." Oliver leans closer, cupping Alfred's chin.

"I-I don't believe you." Alfred says, pulling away.

"I don't expect you to."

* * *

Arthur runs a hand through his hair. He had been watching Alfred on and off for a week, and so far all he and the rest of Alfred's closest friends had only seen small kisses on the forehead from Oliver to Alfred, different meals, and the occasional smile from Alfred.

"Damn it, Alfred!" Arthur says aloud, watching as the prince turns red while Oliver strokes his hair. "Just push him away!"

"Do you like your room?" Oliver asks, lightly pushing America into a chair at the end of the table. Then, he takes a chair to the left and rests his head on the palm of his hand. A dreamy smile takes over his face, and his blue eyes sparkle with delight at finally being so close to his Alfred.

"It's nice." The prince mumbles.

"Is something wrong, love?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question."

"I'm afraid I do."

Alfred says nothing, toying with his fork.

"If you need anything feel free to ask for it." Oliver says after a few moments.

"What I need is to go home!"

"Except for that."

"You're being so horrible! I don't understand what I did to deserve being kidnapped!"

Oliver sighs, his gaze dropping to his feet. "I can't let you go."

"Why not?! I have family and friends and someone that I'm supposed to marry! I have to be KING!"

"Maybe, but do you even want any of that? Do you want to marry the king of Ussiya? Or become king?"

"That is not your business!"

"Just tell me. You can trust me."

"No I can't! I can't trust anyone! You're all pressuring me and forcing me into things and I can't say anything because I have responsibility! Can you even imagine what my father might say if I told him that I wanted to be a commoner?! Can you even imagine what it's like to have so much expected of you?!" Alfred looks down, burying his face in his hands, "And you can all say that you would never force me into anything, but everyone does!"

Arthur stares at the screen, stunned. Feliciana and Julchen are gaping, as is the king. Aiyana is smiling.

"I-I would never—" Oliver starts, but Alfred cuts him off.

"Yeah, you would _never _force me into anything. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard, considering I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you forcing me to!" The prince jumps from his chair and storms out of the room, hiccups from crying echoing behind him.

"Alfred, wait!" Oliver exclaims, jumping out of his chair and dashing after the blonde.

"Don't follow me!" Alfred yells.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Oliver grabs hold of Alfred's jacket, then pulls him backwards into his arms.

"Let me go! I don't want this! I don't want you touching me! I don't need you and I don't need anyone!" Alfred struggles against Oliver's hold, more tears burning his eyes.

"Love, just calm down." Oliver says, running his fingers through Alfred's silky golden hair.

"NO! I won't calm down!" The prince shoves away from Oliver and dashes down the hall, his shoulders shaking.

Arthur turns around, gaping, to the king and queen just as Alfred slams the door to his new bedroom.

"Master Alfred has never done that before!" Feliciana says to Ivan.

"I would not expect him to." Ivan says quietly, "He must not be adjusting very well."

"That is only part of the reason." Aiyana says loudly.

"Yes, yes, of course... He must feel like the rules have changed now that he is somewhere he does not recognize and with a person he feels no respect for. He will share his true feelings and be dramatic about them because there is nobody to stop him and make him feel better. That is to be expected from someone of such young age with such responsibility forced onto his shoulders."

The room is silent, but then there's a knocking and Oliver saying "Alfred, love, please come out..."

"Let's go to another room and discuss this further." Matthew says.

* * *

"There have still been no clues as to where Alfred is in Murica, but I have sent even more people to search for him." Matthew says.

Aiyana squeezes his hand from under the table.

"Pardon my interruption, but maybe Alfred-san is not in Murica anymore?"

Heracles straightens out a little bit, taking a deep breath in. "As much as I hate to admit it, it does seem unlikely that this Oliver would keep Alfred so close to his home, which could give him a better escape. I think that we should have other lands start to search, too."

"I could get some of my men to look for him, da?"

"Eh, you are most likely correct... But for now, I would like to keep this search as private as possible."

Aiyana clears her throat. "Maybe we should just let him stay there for a while."

All heads turn to her.

"_What?" _Matthew's voice echoes, taking the word right out of Arthur's wide open mouth.

"Well, no harm seems to be coming to him, this Oliver doesn't seem like the type to hurt Alfred... Maybe it would be okay if we let him stay there for a while, let him learn what it's like to have to figure things out on his own." She pauses, and the king opens his mouth. Then, she continues, "Yes, I know we have let him make lots of decisions, but were they ever really that big of decisions? And, to be quite honest, he seems like he'll be quite a but happier there after a while, seeing as he doesn't really have to get married or be king or anything of the sort as long as he stays... Obviously he feels very on edge here, and we know that he never really wanted to be king in the first place..."

"But—My queen, please excuse the interruption, but I really do not think that letting him stay there is the best course of action. Oliver is dangerous, whether he looks it or not." Arthur says, bowing his head and closing his eyes.

"Ah, but he wouldn't do anything to hurt Alfred, would he?" Aiyana stops, then says, "Well, I guess the real question is, would _you?" _

"Of course not, but—"

"Then we have nothing to worry about when it comes to his safety."

"My queen, I beg that you think about this; Oliver is unstable, even I do not know what he might do. So—"

"Aiyana, dear, how about we talk about this?" Matthew says, "In private."

"Alright. All of you—Out."

"But—"

"Arthur."

"Yes, my queen..." Arthur sighs, walking out of the room.

Once out of the room, he joins Ivan, Feliciana, Julchen, Ivan, Kiku, and Heracles in their discussion.

"There has to be something we can do to help Alfred-san!" Kiku exclaims.

"I wish there was, but the king and queen said—"

"Ah, to hell with them!" Julchen interrupts Feliciana, "They're crazy, actually discussing letting their son stay with someone who kidnapped him? It's madness! And the awesome me will not sit around and let Master Alfred cry like that! I say we go after him!"

"Julchen... I don't want you to get hurt..." Feliciana says, grabbing the albino girl's arm.

"An awesome girl like me get hurt? No way!"

"I agree with Julchen." Arthur says, "We need to figure out a way to get Alfred out of there. Oliver is unstable, unpredictable, and very, very dangerous. I know first hand what he is capable of, and there is no risk we should take when it comes to Alfred's safety—especially such a huge one. What is she thinking, deciding that it would be okay for Alfred to stay with him?"

"I see where she's coming from." Says Heracles. "He opened up a lot, even cried. Have any of you seen him do anything but smile as long as you've known him? Arthur, you're his personal guard, you spend every waking minute with him. Have you ever seen him behave like that?"

"No! But we shouldn't want him to cry!"

"That's not the point. The point is," Ivan breathes in, "that Prince Alfredka doesn't feel like he can trust or talk to any of you, or even his parents, about what he's feeling, because he knows that everyone will be disappointed in him. He is unhappy and on edge, and he has much more responsibility than even I did when I was his age."

"Well then we can change that, but we have to do something. You don't know Oliver like I do! He. Is. Dangerous! He means well and he hurts people! We need to do something, and we need to do it fast! Would you be able to bear it if Alfred got hurt?"

"Arthur-san... Are you sure you are saying this out concern for Alfred-kun's safety? Or is this really just you wanting to be with the one you love?"

"It's both! How can you guys not understand that Alfred is in DANGER? Look! This is how bad Oliver hurt me when I tried to take Virtue away from him and protect her. And part of it was completely by accident!" Arthur pulls up his shirt a bit, revealing a large scar that stretches all the way around his waist. "So... So just imagine what might happen if Alfred angers him!"_  
_

Ivan stands up from the chair he had been sitting in, squaring his shoulders and bringing himself to his full height, which is at least two heads taller than Arthur.

"Look, _Arthur," _the name rolls off his tongue in an almost disgusted manner, like just bringing himself to even mention the Brit's name was a horrible challenge, an as soon as he says it everyone except Arthur flees from the room,"I don't know if you've realized, but Alfredka is my... how do you say... fiance anyway, so I suggest you get over this little infatuation with him, and do it quickly, or else I will be forced to hire a new guard for him."

Arthur frowns, staring up at Ivan with defiance, "Look, _Ivan, _I don't know if you've realized, but Alfred was quite upset with the way things were going, and he didn't like to be forced into anything. And, hint hint, I'm pretty sure he was being forced into that marriage in the first place."

"Is that so? Well, then I guess when we kissed behind the curtain at the ball, he was being forced, da?"

"You're lying! I was watching you dance!"

"Apparently not close enough. But I'll refresh your memory. We were dancing in circles, then we started going towards the edge of the room, and soon enough Alfredka and I had ducked behind a red curtain. And we stayed there for quite a while... Talking at first, but it lead to other things very quickly." Ivan smirks, his violet eyes glittering.

"I-I don't believe you! This is a lie! Alfred would never do something like that!"

"Maybe not for you, but it seems that my charm was too much for him to handle, da?"

"No! Not 'da!' You're a filthy liar, that's what you are! And I wouldn't believe it for a second! Neither will anyone else!"

Ivan shrugs, smiling that damn infuriating but oh-so-innocent smile that he so often wore when Arthur was around. He waves goodbye to Arthur, then turns around.

"Fine, don't believe me. But you will see, when we find Prince Alfredka, he will put you in your place. Shame, shame on you for thinking that commoner, a peasant, would ever have a chance to win someone of such high status's heart." Ivan says in a sing-song voice.

Then, he disappears around the corner, leaving Arthur to drive himself mad wondering if it was the truth or not.

* * *

"My love, please, just come out..." Oliver says for the hundredth time, still knocking on Alfred's door.

Suddenly, it swings open, revealing Alfred, who is still crying. "What do you want?" He asks bitterly, sniffling.

Oliver sighs, reaching out and cupping the prince's chin. His thumbs brush over Alfred's smooth skin and wipe the tears away. "I'm sorry, Prince Alfred... I never meant to make you so upset... I really hope that you can forgive me."

Alfred sniffles, nods, then gently pushes Oliver's hands away.

The Brit frowns, but lets his arms drop. "Would you like to do something fun? I... I suppose we could go outside for a little while, if you'd like to."

"Really?" Alfred asks, smiling and wiping his tears away.

"Of course." Oliver smiles, "But I'm warning you, if you try to run, you could get hurt, or I'll put a spell on you."

"Okay..." Alfred nods, looking down.

Oliver takes his hand, squeezing it.

Arthur walks into the room with the projector, making sure nobody is around, then sitting down and looking at it. What he sees infuriates him.

Oliver and Alfred holding hands and walking down a dark, long hallway towards a door, which a faint beam of moonlight is shining out of.

"You know, at home I would never be allowed out with only one other person." Alfred muses.

"At your home you're a prince. At my home you can be whatever you want to be." Oliver replies lightly. 'I want you to be as free as you can be. Later on, if you decide to stay, then you will be allowed to go wherever you want whenever you want."

"Thanks." The Prince mumbles.

"So, what are you going to be?"

Arthur stares at the screen, watching with wide green eyes. _Please say Prince Alfred, please say you want to be Prince Alfred... _

'What do you mean?"

"Are you going to be a prince, a pet, a lover..."

"I'll just be Alfred Jones. No fancy titles, no special treatment. Just me."

"Most people would kill to be a prince, you know." Oliver says, "I wouldn't, personally. But I suppose that is only because Arthur would very much like to be one. I think he may even be envious of you, my dear. All the riches and fame and subjects..."

"Nobody would want to be royalty if they knew they would be forced to run an entire country at only nineteen, that someone has to be with you wherever you go, that I literally have never been anywhere outside of the castle by myself... It's not all fame and riches and loyal subjects. Yes, I have a nice castle. Yes, I am very rich. But being royalty comes with a price. My parents were lucky enough to marry out of love, but I can't. I have to be poised and perfect and never show anger or fear, I can't be who I really am, and that's the worst thing that could ever be. When a person is forced to be someone they aren't... It's very sad."

"I see."

Alfred nods, glancing around. "This is a nice house."

"Not as nice as a castle. I bet you were expecting something more fancy for a bedroom?"

"I like the room. It's very nice."

Arthur frowns. "Damn it, what are you doing, Alfred?"


	6. Chapter 6

Alfred and Oliver lay in the soft, green grass outside Oliver's home, staring up at the stars blinking in the black sky.

"Did you like it in the castle?" Oliver asks, "What I mean is, overall, was it better there than it is here?"

Alfred shrugs. "The castle is nice, I won't deny it. And I miss Feliciana and Julchen a lot, but... I feel like getting away from the castle for a while could be good for me. And maybe one day I might be able to go back, right?"

Oliver frowns, but nods.

"Then I'm good. As long as you're not gonna hurt me, I guess I don't really mind being here. It's like a vacation, almost."

"I wouldn't ever hurt you."

"Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Are we still in America?"

Arthur's breath catches in his throat, and he quickly calls out for everyone else to come and join him in the big room.

Oliver breathes in deeply, thinking his answer through. _It would be nice for him to know, and maybe it would even give him a little push to trust me more._ Oliver nods to himself, then thinks, _but what if someone is watching somehow? Arthur _does_ have magic..._ Then, the redhead looks over at Alfred. "Yes, we're still in America."

"That's good. I really like it in America."

"Have you ever been outside of it?"

Alfred grins slyly. "Okay, you caught me. I like it because I've never been anywhere else."

Oliver smiles, too. "Maybe someday we can take a trip together."

"Yeah, maybe we could." Alfred says, turning on his side. "It would be nice to see the rest of the world. Really nice."

By this time, Matthew, Aiyana, and Ivan have rushed in, and are staring at the screen in awe.

"Especially if I was seeing it with you..." Oliver mumbles, also turning to his side.

He smiles lightly, his blue eyes sparkling. His skin is pale in the moonlight, making his many freckles stand out even more and accenting his fiery red hair in a way that makes it seem to come alive. His slender hand reaches out and cups the prince's face, his cheeks turning just the tiniest bit pink at the jolt that shoots through him with the touch.

Alfred's breath hitches in his throat, his cerulean orbs widening.

Oliver leans forward a little more, closing his eyes.

Arthur's eyes widen. _No, no, no! This isn't supposed to be happening!_

"Wait," Alfred says, grabbing Oliver's wrist, "I can't." Oliver quirks an eyebrow, frowning, and the blonde continues, turning bright red, "I-It's not because I'm not attracted to you or anything! It's just that w-we barely know each other, a-and I've never kissed anyone before!"

Arthur turns around, glaring at Ivan. _I knew Alfred would never kiss him so soon! _

"Ah. Yes, a first kiss is a special moment for a person." Oliver says, "You are right about us barely knowing each other, too... Never mind that, I won't try something again unless I have permission, alright?"

The prince nods, smiling at Oliver and taking his hand. "You know, I didn't think you were going to be so nice to me. I'm really glad that you are—it makes me feel very at home. Thank you."

"Anything for you." Oliver says.

* * *

"I see you tend to lie, eh?" Arthur says to Ivan, smirking.

"Only when I want to use a peaceful method of getting someone to leave me or something that is mine alone."

"Master Alfred is not yours, nor will he ever be."

"No? It seems to me that he will be as soon as we rescue him. We are still to be wed, in case you do not know. Or have you been to busy with your pointless fantasies to think about it?" Ivan asks with an innocent smile.

"Ivan, Ivan, Ivan... You don't know Master Alfred at all..."

"It doesn't matter. We will learn about each other once we are married."

"Master Alfred will not marry someone he does not know! This just proves how clueless you are! He is young, only nineteen! You are twenty-six, already almost thirty, and he is just barely an adult! He will want to run around and experience things, and I would not hold him back from that, which he respects. If you try to keep him contained, it will only result in your downfall and the ultimate doom for your marriage and alliance between the two lands." Arthur smiles lightly, "But if Master Alfred were to marry me, there would be none of that."

"I think I should call a doctor, da?" Ivan asks.

"Why?"

"You seem to be delusional. Thinking someone of whom you have to call 'Master' would ever have an interest in you..."

Arthur frowns, but stays silent. It was true, after all. He did have to call Alfred 'Master,' and he still had to treat the lad as though he were above everyone else, even if the prince himself wished he wasn't.

"See the error of your thinking? Prince Alfredka needs someone who is of the same status as he. I can call him whatever I want and not get into any trouble, whereas you would only call him by his first name alone if there was nobody else around, da?"

"If we were wed, he would not be my master anymore."

"But who would agree to marry a lowly peasant and loose their riches when they could marry a king and live... How do you say... 'happily ever after?'"

"He wouldn't live happily ever after with you. You're annoying and obviously don't know how to treat him."

"And you do?"

"It has been my duty for the last few years to know exactly how to make Master Alfred happy and to keep him that way, so, as you would say, 'da,' I do know how to treat him."

Ivan narrows his eyes. "Then I suppose it is time that I announce this as a battle for Alfredka's affections."

* * *

**Ahhhh, short chapter! Sorry guys! Anyway, I have a question! **

**I need you guys to vote on a pairing! TAKE MY POLL! **

**Should the wonderful Master Alfred end up with Arthur, the lowly guard, or Oliver, Arthur's exact opposite who has kidnapped the prince?!**

**You decide! VOTE!**

**Also, I've gone back and changed a few things around in the story, including the title, so please re-read the summary and note the changes!**


	7. Chapter 7

Ivan grabs the collar of Arthur's shirt, bringing him so close their foreheads are touching.

"Prince Alfred is my fiancee." Ivan growls, teeth bared.

"You don't deserve him." Arthur growls back, one hand on his sword.

"I'm not afraid to make you back down."

"I could kill you right here." The Brit snarls. His fists clench and un-clench as he releases his grip on the sword. That was too dangerous.

"Da? You really think so? Because I'm sure I could take you down with both hands tied behind my back." The King of Russia grins wickedly, his violet eyes boring into Arthur's green.

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Arthur raises a fist and slams it into Ivan's jaw. The King stumbles backward, eyes wide.

"I could have you executed for that!" He exclaims. Then, he lets a malicious smile play on his lips. "But... I think this may be fun. So I will fight you. But don't cry when I break all of your bones and leave you begging for mercy on the floor."

Arthur's face darkens. He could feel white-hot heat bubbling up inside of him until it consumed him whole and filled him with an unquenchable thirst for blood. Ivan's blood. NOBODY called him weak, and NOBODY would say anything about his chances with Alfred unless it was "Alfred is 100% yours!"

Ivan lunges forward, throwing his hands out and gripping Arthur's coat angrily. Then, he throws the Brit backward with a snarl. "I do not think you understand, Arthur! Alfredka is MINE! MY fiance, MY lover!"

"I don't think _you _understand! Alfred would never agree with that statement!" Arthur snaps back, jumping off the ground and lifting his leg. His foot makes contact with Ivan's chest, and the Russian stumbles backward as all the breath leaves his body.

"BOTH OF YOU STOP!" Feliciana yells, jumping in between the two and putting her delicate hands on each of their chests. "This is not what Master Alfred would have wanted! We are not supposed to be fighting against each other, we are supposed to be fighting against Oliver! If we turn against each other now, who knows where Master Alfred will end up?!"

"He will end up with me!" Ivan growls.

"No he WON'T!" Arthur spits back.

"Are you both blind?! Master Alfred is going to fall in love with Oliver if we don't do something!" Feliciana's eyes well up with tears. "We will ALL loose him if we don't start working together to help him!"

Ivan breathes out, calming himself and stepping away. "You are right, Miss Feliciana." He says, looking down. 'I apologize for makig you upset."

Arthur steps back too, but the frown stays on his face. "Yes, you are. Thank you for stopping us."

The Italian girl nods. "I already know I'm right! I want you two to apologize right now, or I will refuse to be a part of this scheme to help Master Alfred! I will not try to work with you two if you cannot set your differences and desires aside and try to save Master Alfred simply because so many of us are desperate to keep him safe, rather than so the two of you can gloat about him loving the other more!"

"That will have to go for me as well." Says Kiku, appearing from nowhere.

Heracles materializes behind the Japanese man, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "And I."

"Me too." Julchen wraps her arms around Feliciana from behind.

Green eyes clash with violet, but the hatred in both of them matches perfectly.

"Fine. I'm very sorry that I tried to hurt you, your highness." Arthur says, quickly bowing and then holding out his hand.

"I too apologize for my childish behavior." Ivan says, grabbing Arthur's hand and shaking it.

The two pull away quickly.

"Thank you." Kiku says, nodding appreciatively at the two.

"Now, shall we discuss our plan to save Alfred before tomorrow?" Ivan asks.

* * *

It was one o' clock in the morning, the time when the fewest guards were awake.

Arthur slipped out of Alfred's bed, heart already racing with anticipation. This was it. This was the day that they would go after his beloved Alfred and find him.

They already had quite a few clues as to his whereabouts, judging from the landscape and surroundings of Oliver's castle. Plus, Oliver had said himself that they were still in America. From observing, they had noted that it was flatland for as long as the eyes could see, with fresh green grass. Yesterday, Kiku, Heracles, Ivan, Feliciana, Julchen, and Arthur had spent the entire day studying the surroundings of Oliver's castle.

It seemed fruitless until about nine o' clock their time. The sun was still high in the sky wherever Alfred was, while it was setting where Arthur was, so that gave them a time range, which narrowed it down quite considerably. Then when you factored in the endless miles of green grass and cloudless skies, it was narrowed to only a small space of land in America. Then, Alfred and Oliver had gone to the roof, giving the gang a good look at the castle. After searching up as much information on castles in the area they were looking for, they found that were only about ten castles in the area, and only five had looked similar to what they had seen from the rooftop.

Only five different places Alfred could be.

Arthur slipped into his uniform, then walked to the window, where Feliciana was supposed to be waiting for him. When he looked down, she was there, her hazel eyes glittering in the pale moonlight.

She threw a grapple hook up to Arthur, and the Brit secured it to the balcony at angle where it would be fine if he went straight down, but once he was on the ground, he could pull it loose and take it with. Then, he took secure hold of it and jumped over the edge. The smooth surface of the rope slid between his palms as he fell the ten stories to the ground. Right before he hit it, his hands tightened around the rope and he stopped right before he slammed into the ground.

Arthur moves back, tugs the grapple hook, then picks it up when it hits the ground.

The Italian girl granted him a bright smile and a "good job."

"We should run." Arthur whispers, smiling back.

Feliciana nods. Then, she grabs his hand and starts to sprint.

The two stay that way, running hand-in-hand around the castle to the place where Kiku and Heracles would be waiting, fifteen stories above ground.

Kiku was breathing heavily, deep brown eyes darting around nervously. "Heracles-san, what if the grapple hook comes loose?

"It won't, Kiku." Heracles places a chaste kiss on the Japanese man's lips and pulls the two back as the grappling hook comes flying over the railing.

Kiku grabs it, securing it in ust the right way, and then sliding down it. Heracles does the same, then grabs Kiku's head with a small smile. He kisses it, mumbling "Good job."

"Now all we need to do is grab Ivan and Julchen. He should be saying he wanted to go for a stroll with her about now..." Arthur says. "Although I don't see why he has to come with us."

"Because! Master Ivan is Master Alfred's fiancee, and if he DOES love Master Alfred, and Master Alfred loves him, then he will want Master Ivan to be there, no? I thought you said you would be happy for Master Alfred if he does love Master Ivan! Trying to prevent him from seeing Master Ivan is very selfish, Arthur! Plus, Master Ivan is the strongest out of us all. It will be good to have him with us." Feliciana says, "And there is no way I will go on this trip without my Julchen... I couldn't stand the separation!"

"Okay, I get it, I get it! And I know it's selfish, I just can't help it..." Arthur says.

"It's okay, Arthur." Says Heracles gruffly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Falling in love with someone and wanting to protect them is not a fault. But disobeying and bad-mouthing someone who could have you killed is. And, at least for the sake of our sanity, try to get along."

Arthur nods. "You're right... I suppose I should attempt to straighten things out... I don't want you to endure constant fighting."

"Thanks." Julchen says, popping out of nowhere. "Ivan will be here soon."

A minute later, Ivan appears, and the gang is off.

* * *

After a good half an hour of running, they take a break and walk for a little while.

"Ivan," Arthur pants, "Can we talk?"

Ivan quirks and eyebrow, "I suppose." He says with a bored sigh, as if talking to Arthur was the most exhausting thing in the world.

Arthur nods, then leads Ivan away from the group, but where they can still see the two in case things don't end up exactly the way he plans.

"I want to apologize for my behavior." He says, throat constricting. God, he really, really didn't want to tell Ivan he was going to let him have Alfred if that's what Alfred wanted. "You're y superior and I should have respected that."

Ivan nods. "I was a bit out of line too."

"And I want you to have Alfred if he loves you."

Ivan stops, turning to face Arthur. "You must care for him a lot."

"Yes, I do."

"It's very noble of you to give him up."

"Yeah."

"I'll do the same if he loves you in the end." Ivan says, looking away.

"Thank you."

"Are we not going to argue so much anymore?"

"I hope not. I don't want everyone to have to listen to us arguing all the time... I do feel quite awful for my behavior and attitude to both you and them. We're all stressed out over Master Alfred's kidnapping, but it was wrong for us to fight and stress everyone out even more."

"That is very wise of you."

"Thank you."

"You do realize that you will have to treat me like your superior now." Ivan says.

Arthur nods. "Yes, Master Ivan." He mumbles, blushing.

Saying it felt odd. He knew it was coming, but it still felt like betrayal to be calling someone besides his beloved Alfred his master. He felt like he was disobeying Alfred by giving someone else the same respect he gave to him. Of course, he gave the same respect with the queen and king, but they barely ordered him around, and they both insisted he call them Aiyana and Matthew.

Alfred insisted the same thing, but the king and queen had specifically told him to always call Alfred "Master Alfred." Why? Arthur had no idea. He just knew that he was supposed to do what he was told, so he did it. Plus, he was scared that if he was too disobedient he would be fired.

That was the thing that scared him most about this trip, and he's sure it's the same for everyone else. It was the threat of being caught before they could save Alfred. Then, they would all be fired and maybe even banished from the land for disobeying their master's. Even Ivan would have to return to his homeland. And none of them would ever see the thing they were searching so desperately to find—their beloved Prince Alfred.

"Is is strange? To call someone besides Alfredka your master?" Ivan asks, seemingly reading Arthur's thoughts.

"Quite. I feel like I'm disobeying him or betraying him..." Arthur says quietly.

"You can still call me Ivan. I know it can be hard to start addressing someone else as the holder of your will when someone else has had it for so long."

"Th-That's not—Master Alfred doesn't—Oh, what the bloody hell, you're right." Arthur says.

What was the point in denying that Alfred controlled his every move and he didn't even know? How could Arthur possibly deny that he would do whatever the younger said without a moment's hesitation? That addressing Alfred as "Master" had become such a normal part of life that sometimes he actually believed Alfred was his personal owner, and that he was a slave to his power? Not always, but wasn't sometimes just as bad?

* * *

Alfred was sitting next to Oliver. It was dinner time, but neither of them were too hungry. The only thing on the table was a jar of pickles, which Alfred had taken one pickle from, and was now nibbling on and looking around absentmindedly.

"Ever have any visitors around here?" He asks.

"Sometimes." Oliver replies, gazing at him dreamily.

"Your friends? Or is it more some sort of business meeting or something like that?"

"Mostly my friends, though I only have a few."

"Me too."

"Would you like to see something?" Oliver asks after a few more minutes of silence. He smiles gently.

"What is it?"

"Come with me." Oliver grabs a cupcake from the dinner table, then grabs Alfred's hand and pulls him from his chair.

Alfred lets the Brit drag him down an unfamiliar hall, up three flights of stairs, down another hall, another flight of stairs, another hall, and finally through a small doorway. When Oliver opens it up, the two are staring at a large balcony and the moon that shone directly down on it.

The Prince's mouth opens in awe. He walks to the edge of the balcony, placing his hands on it. Then, he throws one leg over the side.

"Alfred! Don't jump!" The Brit cries, running forward and grabbing his wrist. His blue eyes are wide in fear.

The Prince laughs, swinging his other leg over and settling himself on the ledge. "I'm not going to jump." He says, patting the space next to him. "C'mon, it's so much nicer when you sit like this."

"I'd rather stand... If you fall then I can hold you up this way." Oliver says. He moves closer, pressing his chest against the Prince's back and wrapping his arms around the blonde's waist. "I don't want anything to happen to you, love."

"Oliver?"

"Yes?"

"You know how you said that you have Arthur's feelings?"

"Yes."

"Um... If you love me because he supposedly loves me... Then doesn't that mean that if he stops loving me that you will?"

Oliver blinks a few times, then nuzzles the American's neck. "That was intelligent. I haven't thought of it. But you know... You're a lot different than the last time Arthur fell in love. I don't feel the same. I just felt this really intense need to have her because I loved her, it was almost like it was implanted in my head. But with you... It doesn't feel mental. I don't feel like I want to have you, I feel like I want to make you happy and win your affections, not force you to pretend you love me. At first it was like that, just a desire to have you. But then I saw you and it was different then when I saw Virtue. She didn't seem beautiful, she was just something I desired. But when I saw you, dear prince, it was like I was looking at the sun. As soon as you walked into the ballroom, that smile of yours lit the entire room up. You were beautiful. I've never seen anything like that before."

Alfred doesn't say anything for a long, long time.

"I think that sounded really real."

Oliver smiles. "Me too."

"Oliver?"

"Yes?"

"Can I call you Ollie?"

The Brit laughs. "Of course you can, my prince."

Alfred gently removes Oliver's hands, then swings both legs back over the balcony and pushes himself off the ledge. His feet hit the ground with a "thump!" Oliver takes both of his hands and stares at his lovely prince for a few minutes, just admiring him and all of his beauty.

"I think you're the only real thing in my life, Alfred." He finally says.

Alfred smiles lightly, "I think you're the first commoner in my life, Ollie."

Oliver sighs. "You really ruined that very romantic moment..." He says with a wide grin.

Alfred grins back at him.

* * *

**This took soooo long! TT^TT And it's not even very big! I'm sorry! Ugh! I've just been busy with some stuff! Okay, enough with my lame excuses, it's time for the important stuff.**

**PLEASE READ: Right now, OLIVER is winning my poll on who Prince Alfred should end up with. PLEASE VOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! Especially if you want Arthur and Alfred to end up together! I am basing Alfred's future lover on your votes! So go and take it, my lovelies! **

**And if you have already, THANK YOU!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys. First of all, sorry if you thought this was a new chapter. Second of all, I'm even more sorry for the bad news I'm delivering. I'm putting this story on hiatus. I'm just not really... feeling this story. I'm putting another story on hold, too, and starting a new one. I'm super sorry, I hope you can forgive me.**

**Hoping you'll be excited when this story makes a comeback, **

**SailorCheesy.**


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